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Designyatra 2025: Day 2 blends nostalgia, music, and multi sensory magic

06th September 2025, PANAJI, GOA: If Day 1 was about big ideas colliding, Day 2 of Designyatra 2025 was about layering them with memory, music and multi-sensory surprise. With over 950 delegates still buzzing, the conversations shifted between past, present and future. Proof that a design conference can be as playful as it is profound.

The morning kicked off with Paul Priestman (Creative Director and Chairman, PULI innovation), who laid out a vision for the future of transport and product design. His talk was both pragmatic and poetic, about designing systems that move people not just efficiently, but beautifully.

Then came the much-whispered “secret session” by Kay Khoo, Co-Founder of Designyatra. What unfolded was part history lesson, part comedy act, and part family reunion. With humour and nostalgia, Khoo pulled the curtain back on the journey of Designyatra, celebrating 20 years of a festival that has shaped Indian design culture.

From there, Chiara Luzzana (Sound Designer, Composer, Sound Artist) brought sound to centre stage. Blurring the lines between lecture and performance, she showed how everything, from a heartbeat to the hum of a city, can become music. Her live performance electrified the hall, reminding everyone that noise is just inspiration waiting to be reframed.

Lucy Hardcastle (Multidisciplinary Designer, Lucy Hardcastle Studio) followed with her signature blend of science, technology and sensuality. Her work through textures, movement and emotional resonance invited the audience to feel design, not just see it.

The day’s philosophical high point came from Tea Uglow (AI & Innovation Consultant, EP Australia), who explored the intersections of creativity, identity and digital uncertainty. Her talk was an invitation to embrace ambiguity and to see queerness, technology and design as overlapping spaces of possibility.

Closing the day, Aniruddh Mehta (Graphic Designer, Art Director, Founder, Studio Bigfat) delivered a two-part session that captured the spirit of a generation. First, he shared his design journey with irreverence and honesty. Then, joined by his partner Aaron Myles Perreira, he turned the hall into a pulsating floor with a live set that blurred the boundary between presentation and performance.

As the sun set, delegates fanned out across seven Sidequests or intimate workshops where curiosity and collaboration took over. From hands-on making to radical rethinking, these sessions reminded everyone that design thrives when it’s shared.

Day 3 promises to raise the tempo even higher, closing the conference with heavyweight talks and the much-anticipated Kyoorius Design Awards and Young Blood Awards Night. Expect a crescendo that celebrates not just the winners, but the culture of design itself.

Designyatra 2025 is presented by Zee.

The conference features creative labs by Target, Pantone and Uniball and creative grounds by Tokushu Tokai Papers, Ark | Maxon and PaperMonday.

Designyatra 2025 is hosted at Taj Cidade de Goa, Horizon, and crafted by Fosite, with creative experiences powered by The Product Lab.

Prime PR wins Quality Mark Awards 2025

Indore, 5^th September 2025: Prime PR, the youngest and fastest growing public relations firm, was presented with the 14th Quality Mark Awards 2025 in the category of PR & Communications, by Hon’ble Cabinet Minister Shri Kunvarji Bavaliya as Chief Guest, Shri Dilip Sanghani, Chairman – IFFCO as Guest of Honour, renowned Bollywood actor Sharman Joshi. The awards ceremony was organized by Quality Mark Trust at Narayani Heights, Ahmedabad on 26th August, 2025, under the concept of ‘Make in India’.

Prime PR, established in 2020, is well-connected with over 60 cities across India, with its team that works 365 days a year, which includes PR professionals and publicists, strategists and influencers, and linguists and media managers. Prime PR also works with flourishing start-ups, as well as the MSME and Make in India projects.

On the occasion, Mr. Phool Hasan, Founder and Managing Director of Prime PR said that “Prime PR is a strong supporter of on-going learning and development for public relations professionals. We have resilient networks in tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 cities. Our network-wide team has been distinguished for its media relations skills through delivering high-quality projects and developing long-term partnerships with our clients. The recognition we got at Quality Mark Awards 2025 will boost our morale to work with more creative and strategic acumen. ”

Prime PR provides a vast range of services to its clients, which includes Public Relations, Brand Management, Conducting Press Conferences, Release Dissemination, PR Analysis, Planning & Strategy as well as Digital Marketing, Influencers Management, Image Building, Crisis Management, Investor Relations. Prime PR deals with the public relations for Government and Public Affairs also. Prime PR has extensive experience in planning and implementing high-impact initiatives that boost brand exposure and revenue.

Mr. Phool Hasan said, “We understand the difficulties generally faced by our clients, be it corporates, or individuals like doctors, bankers or other social opinion makers who are very keen to express their views on various burning topics in the society, but have no approach to the right platform, so through our service namely, article placement, we felicitate them with proper platform to voice their concerns in time. Digitally sound, and strategically efficient, Prime PR adopts the conceptualised method to do Public relations and communications through a sustainable process, and achieve the objectives set by our clients, as the actual satisfaction of our client is our motto. ”

Mr. Phool Hasan, a senior PR & Communication strategist since last 18 years, has been the key person to several of Corporate India’s significant events. He specialises in brand activation, media relations, public relations, and press conferences. Mr. Phool Hasan has been recognised for his contributions to many major project successes with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., ICICI, Pepsico, IIFA Awards, Amazon India, Axis Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential, HDFC Life, PGI, ORRA, TAFE, METRO Cash & Carry India, Asus India, Mankind Pharma, Glenmark Pharma, Khelo India Youth Games, Marico, CII, and many others.

Egis in India Recognised as an Employer of Choice for 2025

5th September, 2025- Egis is proud to announce its certification as Top Employer for the fourth year in India. This recognition, by the prestigious Top Employers Institute, is a testament to the company’s commitment to its “people-first” approach and its excellence in HR practices.

The 2025 certification is the result of a comprehensive assessment of Egis’s people strategies and practices across 20 key areas, including talent acquisition, learning and development, well-being, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The repeated recognition validates Egis’s sustained efforts to create a supportive and thriving work environment for its 3,200 employees in India by implementing initiatives such as a simplified talent acquisition and onboarding journey, continued investment in employee development, and a strong emphasis on core values regarding ethics, integrity, and inclusion.

“Being recognized as a Top Employer in India for the fourth year is a source of immense pride for our entire team,” said Sandeep Gulati, Managing Director, Egis in South Asia. “This award reflects our dedication to nurturing talent and providing the best possible conditions for our employees to innovate and build a sustainable future. It shows that our commitment to global standards is rooted in a deep understanding of our local context here in India.”

Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organization’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices.

Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Consistency in a not-so-consistent world? Amidst constant change – through technological advances, economic shifts, and evolving social landscapes – it is inspiring to see people and organisations rise to the challenge. This year, the Top Employers Certification Programme highlights the dedication of our Top Employers as they continue to set the standard, consistently delivering world-class HR strategies and practices. These Top Employers strive to foster growth and wellbeing, all while enriching the world of work. We are proud to celebrate these people-first leaders and teams as the Top Employers for 2025!”

BSG Honours Sustainable Changemakers, Showcasing the Power of One in Combating Climate Change

New Delhi, India , 4 September 2025: As floods in Uttarakhand and torrential rains in Mumbai underline the escalating impacts of climate change, Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG)—an organization dedicated to peace, culture, education, and sustainability—launched its first-ever BSG Awards for Excellence in Sustainability to celebrate the transformative power of individual changemakers.

The award ceremony, held at the Chinmaya Mission Auditorium, New Delhi, on 3 September 2025, honoured 17 winners and 3 special mentions across 14 categories, selected from over 200 nominations by an eminent jury. (See attachment for full list of awardees and categories.)

Mr. Amit Chandra (Cofounder – A.T.E. Chandra Foundation & Chairperson – Bain Capital India Advisors) was the Chief Guest in the award ceremony. The members of the awards jury included: Prof. Bijayalaxmi Nanda (Principal of Miranda House); Mr. Gaurav Shah (Co-founder and director of Indian School of Development Management); Dr. Ruby Makhija (Founder of Why Waste Wednesday’s Foundation); Mr. Ramveer Tanwar (Founder of Say Earth and Pondman Enterprises); and Mr. Vikas Verma (Regional Head, North India, UNDP).

Mr. Amit Chandra said “For me, true sustainability is not just about conserving resources, but about nurturing the relationships between people, nature, and institutions. When communities lead, we create systems that last thereby restoring not only our environment but our collective future.”

BSG Chairperson Mr. Vishesh Gupta, in his inaugural address, said “At BSG, we believe that the spark of change begins with a single individual. These awards celebrate ordinary people whose extraordinary commitment to sustainability is shaping a greener, more resilient India. Their stories remind us that every action matters.”

“Sustainability stems from the idea, we owe the generations to come, a planet they can safely call their own. It is not an idea that is good to do but an absolute imperative which can’t and should not overlooked.” said Mr. Gaurav Shah.

The ceremony comes just months before world leaders gather for the UN Climate Conference (COP) to assess progress towards the 1.5°C global warming goal, amid warnings that the world is off track. Experts agree that accelerating climate action requires not just governments but the active participation of individuals and communities.

“Sustainability is not a choice; it is our responsibility to the future. A greener world begins not with policies, but with daily practices.” said Dr. Ruby Makhija.

Mr. Ramveer Tanwar said “Embracing sustainability is not just a choice but a responsibility; it’s about creating a thriving future for generations to come. Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities for a greener planet.”

Since 2021, through its ‘BSG for SDG’ initiative with the motto “Towards 2030: Achieving SDGs through Sustainable Human Behaviour,” BSG has been championing sustainability across India. Through awareness drives, campaigns, and youth-led initiatives, BSG has empowered ordinary individuals to become catalysts of change and to help build a world where no life is left behind.

A special highlight of the ceremony was the screening of the ‘BSG for SDG Film,’ which featured inspiring stories of hope and resilience, followed by an open exchange of ideas to inspire collective action. Dr. Jaya Rao, in her closing remarks, affirmed that human beings created this problem, and human beings can solve it. Together, we can and will build a sustainable future.

Cyber Security Has to Be Chai Pe Charcha: Rakshit Tandon

Hyderabad, September 04, 2025: The FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) Hyderabad organised a highly informative session on cyber awareness titled #Hackproof – Stay Safe Online at The Park, Necklace Road, on Wednesday.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Prabhibha Kunda, Chairperson of FLO Hyderabad, said: “Here’s the scary truth: every 39 seconds, a cyberattack happens somewhere in the world. One click on the wrong link, one careless share of personal information, one weak password… and suddenly, the security we take for granted can be shaken. In today’s reality, firewalls are the new locks, passwords are the new keys, and vigilance is the only true security.”

Timely reporting is key said Shikha Goel, Director, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) said. She emphasised that cyber fraud is inevitable, but vigilance can reduce risks: The victims must report fraud within the “Golden Hour” by calling 1930 (Cyber Helpline) or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in. Telangana Police has already blocked 43,000 SIMs, 14,000 IMEIs, and 8,000 URLs used by fraudsters, she shared.

Giving information about police efforts, she said last year, ₹292 crore was refunded to victims.

India lost ₹24,000 crore to cyber fraud in 2024, with ₹1,900 crore lost in Telangana alone.

She also explained scams like call forwarding fraud, where victims are tricked into dialling special codes that silently forward calls and OTPs to criminals. “Citizens must learn how to deactivate such forwarding features on their phones. Awareness is the best defence,” she said.

Cybersecurity has to be everyday talk said Rakshit Tandon who taught 70 lakh children on Cyber Security in India. Renowned cyber expert Rakshit Tandon, who works closely with the police forces of 18 states, made a strong case for making cyber awareness a household conversation: “Cybersecurity has to be a chai pe charcha subject. Most victims I see are well-educated people, never the illiterate. Why? Because greed blinds them. Use common sense—before you click, before you share, before you pay.”

Mr. Tandon urged citizens to adopt basic cyber hygiene such as the following:

• Use strong, unique passwords and change them regularly.
• Enable multi-factor authentication on critical accounts.
• Do not click on unknown links or attachments.
• Verify before sharing personal data, photos, or money.
• Educate children and elders, who are often the most vulnerable.

He introduced the audience to the concept of “data weaponisation”: “Data is no longer just information; it is a weapon. When collected, manipulated, or misused, it can be turned against individuals, organisations, or even nations—to exploit, influence, or control.”

He offered the simple yet powerful following practical tips to Stay Hack-Proof

• To deactivate call forwarding, dial ##002# on your phone.
• To check if your calls are being forwarded, dial *#21#; to disable, use ##21#.
• Avoid free public Wi-Fi, never use simple passwords like “12345,” and always call back unknown numbers instead of answering them directly.

Instead of banning social media for children, make them cyber-wise through awareness and guidance.